Recommended daily intakes of vitamin D should be raised to 2,000 International Units, says a group of 18 scientists from the University of California. The “call to action” by the UC scientists, led by Anthony Norman, echoes a number of others from leading academics across the globe, and may increase the need for policy makers to review current guidelines for the vitamin. “Our consensus on vitamin D is intended to support public health action,” said Norman. “The amount of research that is currently available provides us enough information to release such a consensus at this time.”
Source: Short- and long-term safety of weekly high-dose vitamin D3 supplementation in school children.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Chinese Stress Buster
Here is a practice from China that is both stress reducing and health promoting. You can do it almost any time or any place - though I would not do this in the midst of a business meeting or holiday party.
The key to the practice is the sound of the letter H with an appropriate vowel. Say the following: Hee, Heh, Hah, Ho,[like NO but with an H instead of an N], Hu [ the U is sounded as in who].
Now say them again and let the H sound really move a burst of air out. Hee, Heh, Hah, Ho, Hu.
OK...now you will repeat it 8 - 10 times. And as you say them see if you can feel where the sound vibrates in your body - from your head on down to your belly. Try it now. It will only take a minute.
Finished? How do you feel?
Most people find this is a great stress buster. And this practice comes from a tradition that says the sound 'massages' important energy centers and helps to bring us to balance.
The key to the practice is the sound of the letter H with an appropriate vowel. Say the following: Hee, Heh, Hah, Ho,[like NO but with an H instead of an N], Hu [ the U is sounded as in who].
Now say them again and let the H sound really move a burst of air out. Hee, Heh, Hah, Ho, Hu.
OK...now you will repeat it 8 - 10 times. And as you say them see if you can feel where the sound vibrates in your body - from your head on down to your belly. Try it now. It will only take a minute.
Finished? How do you feel?
Most people find this is a great stress buster. And this practice comes from a tradition that says the sound 'massages' important energy centers and helps to bring us to balance.
Tips on Sleep
While you're sleeping, your body is busy at work rebuilding and restoring muscle tissue, restoring your mental energy and conducting other important repairs. When you don't get this much-needed respite, your body will let you know.
Many Americans work for nearly three more hours than they sleep every day.
At first you may just feel tired, irritable or have trouble concentrating. But over time lack of sleep can lead to serious issues including an increased risk of diabetes, cancer, psychological problems, weight gain and even accelerated aging.
As it stands, many Americans are working far longer than they sleep every day; the average workday is nearly 9.5 hours long, but the average night's sleep lasts just six hours and 40 minutes, according to the National Sleep Foundation's (NSF) 2008 Sleep in American poll.
Of course, some are not even this lucky. Anywhere from 30-40 percent of adults say they have some symptoms of insomnia that make it difficult for them to fall asleep and stay asleep. And if you've been sleep deprived for several days, you will create a "sleep debt" that will need to be repaid, meaning that you'll need to sleep longer than usual just to function normally and feel rested.
Tips to Get Your ZZZZ's
No matter how you look at it, a good night's sleep is necessary for physical and mental well-being. The following tips will help you to not only fall asleep, but will ensure your night's sleep is peaceful and fully restorative. Be sure to read the entire list for some tips that may surprise you.
Small amounts of light in your bedroom can interfere with a sound night's sleep. Consider installing black-out drapes or wearing an eye mask to block out the light.
Exercise, ideally everyday. This positive stress will tire out your body in a good way -- just be sure not to exercise too close to bedtime (within three hours), as it could keep you up.
Drink a cup of relaxing tea, like chamomile.
Stretch a bit before you lie down. You can literally stretch out some of the "kinks" and tension of the day.
Wear earplugs or an eye mask. If you can hear noisy traffic or see lights from outside, earplugs and an eye mask can give you the silence and the darkness that are ideal for sleep.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Take a bath before bed, brush your teeth, get into your PJs and turn on some soothing music that will let your mind know it's time for slumber.
Once you are in bed, listen to a relaxation CD like the Sleep Easy CD to help you "shift gears" and relax into sleep.
Sleep Easy With the Ultimate Soothing Music and Meditation CD on the Market!
Don't drink caffeinated or alcoholic beverages near your bedtime.
Keep to a regular schedule that includes a standard time to go to sleep and wake up.
Make your room "sleepable." A very dark, cool room is best for sleep.
Get a handle on your stress. It is the number-one cause of sleep problems, according to sleep experts.
Put the kibosh on work before bed. If you work or do other mentally trying activities too close to bedtime, you may have a hard time relaxing for sleep.
Get a new mattress. About 87 percent of people who purchase a new mattress say they are satisfied with their choice and its impact on their quality of sleep, the Better Sleep Council reports. Generally, a mattress' life span is five to seven years.
Evaluate your prescription medications. Certain prescription and over-the-counter drugs -- such as steroids, decongestants and drugs for high blood pressure, depression and asthma -- can keep you up at night. If you're having trouble sleeping, consult with your doctor to see if your medications could be to blame.
Eat something. Feeling hungry can make it hard to fall asleep. A light snack, such as peanut butter on whole-grain crackers, can help you to get a good night's sleep.
Massage your feet, especially with warm oil, right before bed -- it's very relaxing.
If you smoke, quit. Nicotine is linked to difficulty falling asleep and problems waking up.
Many Americans work for nearly three more hours than they sleep every day.
At first you may just feel tired, irritable or have trouble concentrating. But over time lack of sleep can lead to serious issues including an increased risk of diabetes, cancer, psychological problems, weight gain and even accelerated aging.
As it stands, many Americans are working far longer than they sleep every day; the average workday is nearly 9.5 hours long, but the average night's sleep lasts just six hours and 40 minutes, according to the National Sleep Foundation's (NSF) 2008 Sleep in American poll.
Of course, some are not even this lucky. Anywhere from 30-40 percent of adults say they have some symptoms of insomnia that make it difficult for them to fall asleep and stay asleep. And if you've been sleep deprived for several days, you will create a "sleep debt" that will need to be repaid, meaning that you'll need to sleep longer than usual just to function normally and feel rested.
Tips to Get Your ZZZZ's
No matter how you look at it, a good night's sleep is necessary for physical and mental well-being. The following tips will help you to not only fall asleep, but will ensure your night's sleep is peaceful and fully restorative. Be sure to read the entire list for some tips that may surprise you.
Small amounts of light in your bedroom can interfere with a sound night's sleep. Consider installing black-out drapes or wearing an eye mask to block out the light.
Exercise, ideally everyday. This positive stress will tire out your body in a good way -- just be sure not to exercise too close to bedtime (within three hours), as it could keep you up.
Drink a cup of relaxing tea, like chamomile.
Stretch a bit before you lie down. You can literally stretch out some of the "kinks" and tension of the day.
Wear earplugs or an eye mask. If you can hear noisy traffic or see lights from outside, earplugs and an eye mask can give you the silence and the darkness that are ideal for sleep.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Take a bath before bed, brush your teeth, get into your PJs and turn on some soothing music that will let your mind know it's time for slumber.
Once you are in bed, listen to a relaxation CD like the Sleep Easy CD to help you "shift gears" and relax into sleep.
Sleep Easy With the Ultimate Soothing Music and Meditation CD on the Market!
Don't drink caffeinated or alcoholic beverages near your bedtime.
Keep to a regular schedule that includes a standard time to go to sleep and wake up.
Make your room "sleepable." A very dark, cool room is best for sleep.
Get a handle on your stress. It is the number-one cause of sleep problems, according to sleep experts.
Put the kibosh on work before bed. If you work or do other mentally trying activities too close to bedtime, you may have a hard time relaxing for sleep.
Get a new mattress. About 87 percent of people who purchase a new mattress say they are satisfied with their choice and its impact on their quality of sleep, the Better Sleep Council reports. Generally, a mattress' life span is five to seven years.
Evaluate your prescription medications. Certain prescription and over-the-counter drugs -- such as steroids, decongestants and drugs for high blood pressure, depression and asthma -- can keep you up at night. If you're having trouble sleeping, consult with your doctor to see if your medications could be to blame.
Eat something. Feeling hungry can make it hard to fall asleep. A light snack, such as peanut butter on whole-grain crackers, can help you to get a good night's sleep.
Massage your feet, especially with warm oil, right before bed -- it's very relaxing.
If you smoke, quit. Nicotine is linked to difficulty falling asleep and problems waking up.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Heavy Metals and Herbel Medicine
High Levels Of Toxic Metals Found In Herbal Medicine Products Sold OnlineScienceDaily (Aug. 27, 2008) — Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine(BUSM) have found that one fifth of both U.S.-manufactured and Indian-manufacturedAyurvedic medicines purchased via the Internet contain lead, mercury or arsenic.Ayurveda is a form of medicine that originated in India more than 2,000 years agoand relies heavily on herbal products. In India, an estimated 80 percent of the population practices Ayurveda. In the United States, Ayurvedic remedies have increasedin popularity and are available from South Asian markets, health food stores, andon the Internet. Ayurvedic medicines are divided into two major types: herbal onlyand rasa shastra. Rasa shastra is an ancient practice of deliberately combining herbs with metals, minerals and gems. Ayurvedic experts in India believe that ifRasa Shastra medicines made with metals such as lead and mercury are properly preparedand administered, they will be safe and therapeutic.Using an Internet search, the researchers identified 25 Web sites featuring 673 Ayurvedic medicines. They randomly selected and purchased 193 products made by 37different manufacturers for analyses. Overall, 20.7 percent of Ayurvedic medicinescontained detectable lead, mercury and/or arsenic. U.S. and Indian manufactured products were equally likely to contain toxic metals. Rasa shastra compared withnon-rasa shastra medicines were more than twice as likely to contain metals and had higher concentrations of lead and mercury. Among products containing metals,95 percent were sold by U.S. Web sites and 75 percent claimed Good ManufacturingPractices or testing for heavy metals. All metal-containing products exceeded oneor more standards for acceptable daily intake of toxic metals."This study highlights the need for Congress to revisit the way dietary supplementsare regulated in the U.S.," said lead author Robert Saper, MD, MPH, Directorof Integrative Medicine in the Family Medicine Department at BUSM. Saper first publishedon this topic in December, 2004 (JAMA). In that study he and his colleagues found20% of Ayurvedic medicines produced in South Asia only and available in Boston areastores contained potentially harmful levels of lead, mercury, and/or arsenic. "Ourfirst priority must be the safety of the public. Herbs and supplements with highlevels of lead, mercury, and arsenic should not be available for sale on the Internetor elsewhere," he said.Saper adds, "We suggest strictly enforced, government mandated daily dose limitsfor toxic metals in all dietary supplements and requirements that all manufacturersdemonstrate compliance through independent third-party testing.""The medicines which are supposed to cure sickness should not promote anotherillness due to the presence of toxic materials such as lead," said co-authorVenkatesh Thuppil, PhD, Director of the National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoningin India, as well as a Professor at St. John's Medical College in India.Journal reference:1. Saper et al. Lead, Mercury, and Arsenic in US- and Indian-ManufacturedAyurvedic Medicines Sold via the Internet. JAMA The Journal of the American MedicalAssociation, 2008; 300 (8): 915 DOI: 10.1001/jama.300.8.915
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Acupuncture Helps Headaches
Topic:
Acupuncture May Effectively Reduce Intensity and Frequency of Chronic Headaches
CHRONIC HEADACHES - Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, Traditional East Asian Medicine, Needling
Reference:
"Acupuncture for the Management of Chronic Headache: A Systematic Review," Sun Y, Gan TJ, et al, Anesth Analg, 2008; 107(6): 2038-2047. (Address: Duke University Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Box 3094, Durham, NC 27710, USA. E-mail: Gan00001@mc.duke.ed ).
Summary:
In a systematic review of 31 randomized, controlled trials examining the effects of acupuncture in patients with chronic headaches - including migraines, tension-type, or both - actual acupuncture was found to be superior to medication therapy in improving the intensity (weighted mean difference: -8.54 mm) of headaches, frequency of headaches (standard mean difference: -0.70), as well as physical function (weighted mean difference: 4.16) and response rate (RR=1.49). Actual acupuncture was also found to be superior to sham acupuncture during early follow-up (RR=1.19) and late follow-up (RR=1.22). These results suggest that acupuncture therapy may be a safe and effective treatment for patients with chronic headaches.
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